


Rachel's Big C

by KeikoKaela



Category: Glee
Genre: Cancer, F/M, Mentions of Cancer, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-15
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-12-02 10:15:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11507310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeikoKaela/pseuds/KeikoKaela
Summary: Rachel is diagnosed with cancer and is given only 15 months to live. She uses the time to resolve issues with her gleemates and reconciles with a certain delinquent with a Mohawk.





	1. Chapter 1

     “Rachel don’t you think it’s a bit selfish of you to quit glee club again? You’ve put the club through enough drama already.”

     “I know Mr. Shue, but I simply must, it’s unavoidable really.” Rachel said looking down at her stripped knee socks.

     “Well, the club will suffer a great loss.” Mr. Shuester said standing up and gesturing the girl out of his office.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

     “Dad, Daddy, do you think I can get a tutor once I start treatments? I still want to finish high school.”

     “Of course, anything for you our little star.” Harem replied.

     “Thanks, Daddy.” Rachel said with a half-smile. Rachel hadn’t truly smiled since the day she and her fathers found out she had cancer.

     “We talked to your principal and had your schedule rearranged so that you can take online courses. Will five classes won’t be too strenuous will it darling?”

     “No, dad. I think I’ll be fine.” But she knew she wouldn’t be fine. The doctors had even told her so.

_**flashback**_

_“I’m sorry Mr. and Mr. Berry but it seems that the tumors are spreading and rabidly. Rachel would need to start chemo within the next few weeks to prevent any further damage to the brain but the tumor near her spinal column is virtually non treatable.”_

_“There’s got to be something, doctor. Any tests? Surgery? Please, we’ll pay anything. Just help our baby!”_

_“We are trying to do whatever we can at this point. Rachel is already at stage four. The likelihood she’ll make it to remission is very slim.”_

_“How long?” Rachel finally spoke up gaining attention from both her dads and the doctor._

_“How much longer until I die?”_

_**End of flashback**_

       Fifteen months. The doctor had estimated that she wouldn’t last more than ten but fifteen was being optimistic. What are you supposed to do when you only have fifteen months to live?

\-------------------------------------------------------------

       “Rachel, would like to say something to you all.” Mr. Shue said giving the sickly girl the floor.

       “Thank you, Mr. Shue. I would like to give my professional two week notice on leaving glee club. It has been lovely working with you all─”

       “Hold up! You’re quitting again, white chick? What, you didn’t get your choice of solos or is it because you got dropped by the Jesse fool?” Mercedes cut her off.

       “No. No, it’s just that─”

       “Yeah, man-hands. You just want to sweep in and take all the guys in Glee dontcha. You already had Finn and Puck.”

       “No, it has nothing to do with them!”

       “Then what is it midget? You hopping ship?” Santana jumped in.

       “Oh, I love pirates. Lord Tubbington is a pirate.” Britney added obviously not caring that her friends were verbally attacking her teammate. With that Rachel ran out of the room. She couldn’t take it anymore. Every time she tried to speak the club just yelled at her.

        “Berry? Is everything okay?” Sue Sylvester asked wondering what she was doing in front of her office.

        “I had to nowhere to go. Glee club is just too much. I gave my two week notice but the club doesn’t seem to understand.” Rachel sobbed.

        “What’s going on? You’re a singing prodigy, why would you quit glee?”

        “I…I have cancer.” She whispered not wanting it to be true.

        “Oh, the Big C. That’s awful. Does Shuester know?” Rachel shook her head.

        “I guess I’ll have to step in then. If that’s okay with you?”

       “No, it’s alright. I don’t want their pity. I’m not dead yet. I still have about a year left.”

       “They gave you a year? Geez kid that’s rough,” Sue said pulling Rachel into a hug.

      “It’s alright in the grand scheme of things. If I skip all the unnecessary classes I will graduate. Some kids at my stage only have weeks to live.” Rachel explained sitting down in the chair on the other side of the coach’s desk.

      “That may be true Berry. But no one should have to live with a count down like that.” Just outside the door spied a curly haired Jewish boy with a recorder in hand.

      “Lima star burning out? Stay tuned as we follow the countdown to Rachel Berry’s road end to life and stardom.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------

       Meanwhile in Glee, the club was fighting over who would take Rachel’s spot as lead during Regionals. “Mr. Shue, my vocal range is the closet to Rachel’s if not higher.” Kurt argued.

      “But I’m a girl and this club could use some sexy Latin flair.”

      “My voice is a hell of a lot powerful than anyone else Mr. Shue.” Mercedes interjected. The guys in the club, minus Kurt stayed back and let the girls have at it until the bell rang. As the teen filed out of the choir room, Finn approached his on and off again best friend.

     “What do you think is wrong with Rachel?”

     “How am I supposed to know? I don’t have Jew powers to tell when other Jews have problems.” But that was a lie. The mohawked teen knew exactly what was wrong. The two attended the same synagogue, it being the only one in Lima. Rachel had sat between her dads looking less enthralled in what the rabbi was saying than usual.

     “Hey ma, you ever talk to the Berry’s?” Puck asked his mother as they were leaving service.

     “Not much but I spoke to them at the hospital for a bit this past week. Their daughter is really sick. You’re friends with her, right? I saw her preform with you during that one performance for Glee club.” His mother said putting on her coat and was shuffled at the door by the tug of her daughter’s hand.

     “Yeah, ma. Is it okay if I skip dinner and go visit her?” Puck asked, scratching the back of his head.

     “Not today, Noah. I have to head to work and I need you to watch your sister.” And with that he wrote off the idea all together. Until now.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

      After school Puck drove to the Berry residence. There was a brief moment where Puck thought of retreating back to his truck but the door opened putting a stop to any other options. There stood a pale faced Rachel, dressed in music note pajama pants and a simple black tank top.

      “Noah? What are you doing here?”

      “I, uh, came to see how you were doing. You haven’t looked like yourself for a little while now. Thought I might see what’s up.”

      “That’s sweet, Noah, really, but you didn’t have to.” She replied preparing to shut the door.

      “No, I’ve been meaning to. I know that we broke up, and all but I do think of you as a friend. Even though I haven’t been acting like it lately.” Puck confessed sadly. When the two had broken up he had said some hurtful things that he knew he didn’t mean.

     “That’s very sweet, Noah. Would you like to come in? My dads are working on dinner right now if you’d like to stay?” Puck nodded and stepped into the house, closing the door behind himself.

\-------------------------------------------------------------

      The pair had settled into Rachel’s room after a delicious dinner of spicy bazargan. They began talking, mostly unimportant topics like how they thought school was going or what new songs were out That was until Noah finally asked what he came to ask.

      “What’s up with you, Rachel?”

       With a sigh Rachel began to explain everything from the test to the operations and how she was to start chemo in the upcoming days. At the end she finally just broke down in tears.

       “Rachel, I had no idea you were going through so much.” Puck said enveloping her in a hug. He wasn’t much of the hugging type but it seemed right with her.

       “Thank you, Noah. But please don’t pity me. I get enough of that from my dads.”

       “I’m not pitying you, Barry. You’re a hot Jew and us hot Jews are total bad-asses. You’re a cancer kicking badass.” Puck said making her smile through her tears.


	2. Chapter Two

Rachel had her first round of chemo after lunch and she was beyond scared. Her dads both took off work to be there for her and Puck had promised to not leave her side until she wanted her to.

“Noah, do you think I’ll be pretty once I shave my head?” She asked cautiously as Puck prove them to the hospital.

“Totally, you could get one of those cool arrow tattoos like in that one show. What was it called again?”

“Avatar?” Rachel giggled at the thought. “If only I was that cool.” She mumbled sadly after her brief bit of happiness.

“You’re cool, Rach. You just get a little crazy when you’re passionate about something.” Puck had always admired that about her.

Even as kids during Hebrew school on weekends. She was determined to be the best she could be. When they first were learning she would help him if he didn’t get it at first. She always stood by him too. Whenever the kids at Hebrew school would make fun of him for not having a dad puck would beat the kid up but he would always end up crying until Rachel came along.

“It’s okay, Noah. I’ll share my daddies with you. And you can share your mommy with me.” The small Jewish girl smiled, making the boy blush slightly.

“I’m going to protect you forever and ever, Rachel.” Puck told her, quickly kissed her on the cheek.

“I’d like that, Noah.” The girl said blushing.

\-----------------------------------------------------

Once Rachel had finished her first round of chemo she was drained. All she wanted to do was sleep. As her dads talked to the doctors Rachel was being cradled in Puck’s arms.

“Hey, Noah?”

“Yeah, Rach?”

“You’re taking me home, right? Not back to school?”

“Nope, school has been over for a few hours already, anyways.”

“Hey, how’s are little star doing?” Rachel’s dad Harem asked as they walked up to Puck’s parked truck outside of the hospital.

“I’m okay, daddy. I just want to get some sleep.”

“We know, it’s just that we have to go into work. We have a case that is very important. But we can refer them to another practice if you really need us.”

“No, it’s alright dad, I was just going to take a nap anyways. No need to stay and watch me.” Rachel said ending with a yawn.

“Okay, just call us if you need anything. Noah, we trust that you’ll get our little girl home safe?” Leroy questioned, already knowing the answer.

“Of course, Mr. Berry. And if it’s okay, I’d like to stay with her until you get home.” Puck said. He had flaked on his promise to protect Rachel. Ever since Middle school began he had joined a new crowd of friends leaving Rachel totally alone.

“It’s fine, Noah. Just make sure she eats something and that she drinks a lot of water, doctor’s orders.”

Moving to buckle Rachel in Puck noticed that she had drifted off in his arms. Moving her to the opposite side of the cab, he buckled her and himself in, hoping not to wake his precious cargo. “I gotcha, Rach. I gotcha.” And with that he turned the key making the truck roar to life.

\---------------------------------------------

A month later the school was buzzing with the news of Rachel’s terminal illness. As she walked the halls people were saying words of apology. But some were having an opposite reaction, such as her fellow glee club members.

“She’s probably just saying it for attention. You know how much her diva personality lives off of people talking about her. And the school pity party is just the icing on the cake.” Artie commented.

“Yeah, she first says she’s quitting Glee for the second time now she springs this. Why does she think that any of us care?” Kurt chimes in.

“But this might give us the judges’ support during Regionals next week. I heard about this guy who got drafted into the NFL because he had like thirty days to live or something.” Finn added in a meaningless and off topic story that made the group nod with interest.

Little did they know that Rachel was just outside the door. She was about to walk in to watch practice when someone stopped her to give her their condolences. She didn’t know why but it still hurt to hear her teammate say such mean things to her. She thought that they would be ones to believe to the news. Since they were the people she spent the most of her time with.

“Hey, why aren’t you going in? You’re usually the first one in?” Puck came up to where Rachel was slumped against a wall of lockers.

“Yeah, I was. It’s just that I want to wait until their done talking about me. I know I should be used to it by now but it still hurts when they say stuff about me.”

“I’m gonna kick their asses.” Puck grumbled as he turned to the choir room. But Rachel caught him by the sleeve.

“Noah, don’t,” she commanded, making him stop in his tracks. “You’ll get in trouble. Then you—” She cut herself off not wanting to finish the potentially embarrassing sentence.

“I’ll what, Rach?”

“You’ll get into trouble, and might get suspended. Meaning I’ll have to go to school without you.” She was so used to the violent boy being at her side, she didn’t want to let that feeling go. Rachel confessing this made Puck smile. He had always had a crush on the small Jewish girl even after the pair had broken up.

“You wanna ditch? We could go to my place. Ma just brought me the new Grand Theft Auto if you wanna play?” Over the past week he had learned that Rachel was not only competitive with preforming but in video games as well.

“I’d love that.”

\-------------------------------------------------------

After a couple of hours of video games, Rachel and Puck had settled on the couch to watch TV. Rachel was laying on Puck’s lap watching a rerun of Big Bang Theory. Puck began running his hands through her hair when a lock came loose and caught between his fingers.

              “Uh, Rach?” Puck said staring at the long strand of brown hair in his hand, unsure of what to do. Rachel stiffened as she saw the missing lock.

“Noah, do you cut your own hair?” She asked sitting up and taking the hair from his hand.

“Yeah, why?”

“Will you, cut mine?” She asked looking him directly in the eye.

“You sure?”

“Yeah I don’t want to watch as this happening every day.” Motioning to the clump in her hand.

              ----------------------------------

“You ready for this?” Puck asked as he held the electric razor to her head. She nodded with her eyes shut. This was the next step in the journey to the end.

Ten minutes later Rachel was looking in the mirror at herself. She was completely bald.

“Hold on, I’ll be right back.” Puck said leaving the bathroom. He came back quickly with a blue marker in hand. “I almost forgot your cool tattoos.”


End file.
